On Understanding Trials in the Scope of God's Sovereignty

"The sentences in the book of providence are sometimes long, and you must read a great way before you can apprehend the sense of them.”
Matthew Henry
via

Some humor from WWI Hero Sergeant York

from Sergeant York and the Great War, by Tom Skeyhill (a study in English dialect as much as in WWI)

The pious Kentucky mountain boy in Paris, explaining how he got lost and got back to the hotel:

"So you see, I never takened home any girls in France, but one of them had to take me home, Ho! Ho!" pg195

And his experience with luxury in NYC:

"The were two beds in my room (at the Waldorf Astoria). Twin beds. That kinder tickled me. I didn't know which one to sleep in. So I tried them both." pg199

And on a serious note, considering and answering one of many "reasons" given for his safety and success in the battle:

"I ain't so foolish as to deny that I know a whole heap about guns. I do. I know, too, that I am a tol'able good shot. But I don't car how good a shot man is, hit ain't in the nature of thins for one man with an army rifle and a pistol to whip thirty-five machine guns that can each fire over six-hundred shots a minute; from a p'int blank range of between twenty and thiry yards." pg181

The sublime lyrics of The Gospel Song

These 24 words contain the beautiful core of the Gospel, the Good News, rarely so concise and lyrical. The true beauty and power, though, is not in the creative word choice, rhyme, and meter, but the Gospel itself, the truths these words adorn. And further still, that such a truth can be so simple:

Holy God in love became
Perfect man to bear my blame
On the cross he took my sin
By his death I live again.

And this song illustrated and commentated:


from 
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Kendrick Getting Tickled

Just like his dad, but not

Two good quotes on the balance of Church and Mission

If you don't guard the deposit with fences, you won't have anything to take to the nations in 80 years.

-Adoniram Judson, via John Piper's sermon in the series Men of Whom the World are not Worthy

Our church gives 100% of its budget to missions.  That’s because our church is a mission. Staff salaries are mission.  Benevolence (our fund to support those who are in need financially) is about missions.  Paying the rent, again, missions.

-David Dorr, blogpost

Spurgeon on Being "Fashioable"

"The great guide of the world is fashion and it’s god is respectability–two phantoms at which brave men laugh! How many of you look around on society to know what to do? You watch the general current and then float upon it! You study the popular breeze and shift your sails to suit it. True men do not so! You ask, “Is it fashionable? If it is fashionable, it must be done.” Fashion is the law of multitudes, but it is nothing more than the common consent of fools."

via

Top Youth Group Movies

My top picks for movies for the youth group, on the following criteria:

• Must be clean.
• Must be interesting enough for both guys/girls to watch together.
• Failing the previous criteria, it must be crazy/stupid enough to cause division (almost always clean down the middle between guys and girls) for the duration of the movie and for weeks after.

Disney/Pixar Movies

LOTR
Facing the Giants/Fireproof

Star Wars

Princess Bride

Rocketman

Nacho Libre

UHF

Ultimate catch in Ultimate Frisbee

via

Screwtape Letters Radio Theater

A little late after the release, apparently, but looks great.

Man's Inability in Numbers 20:10-12

"Not even Moses, the giver of the law, was able to keep the law."
- Elyse Fitzpatrick, Comforts from the Cross

Alternate Acronyms for PETA

Great suggestions, such as:  Standing for Treating Ethically the Animal Kingdom
from Abe Piper and followers.

Fatih and Reason according to Paul Tripp

"Faith is not unreasonable, but it will take you beyond your ability to reason."

-Paul David Tripp, "What To Do When Life Doesn't Make Sense"  FBCTC 2010

My two bits on the World Cup so far...

The third round of group play has begun and that means there are still 28 games left. No, it is not nearly over yet. And I'm glad. Much more, and possibly better, to come.

The vuvuzelas aren't that bad.

If you don't like soccer, that's ok- I don't like baseball. But please don't pretend you represent all of America by hating soccer and the fact it's on American television.

The jabulani affects this tourney, yes. But its the same ball for every game, every practice, every team. The outcomes are not being affected, only the goal count (yes, there is a difference).

ESPN's gamecast is definitely the best.

Semi-related info:
"Soccer" as opposed to "football"
Diplomatic England vs US banter

Link Bundle 5/14/10

Fun:
How to survive a shark attack
How to write an awful worship song
Japan's WWII super sub
Interesting Golf Courses
The true story of Hunt for the Red October

And Serious:
Interesting interview w/ Mark Driscoll (interesting membership policy)
One Survivor of plan crash
A great little bit about child-like faith
Great little sermon tidbits from 9marks
6 words to open doors to sharing the gospel

Baby Boy #2

Somewhat freaky skull shot

Future apologies, son.

Contemporvent Church

My church is really nothing like this, but it's funny anyway.

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

(Late) Mother's Day Video

Hopefully an encouraging message for Moms from Stephen Curtis Chapman's song " One Little Heartbeat at a Time."

We go to church vs. we are the church

Different spin:
"We need to put to rest the mantra: we don’t go to church, we are the church (45, 19). Membership is New Testament language (1 Cor. 12:12-20) and so is the language of coming together as a church (1 Cor. 11:18). Going to church is biblical. Being a member is biblical. Discipline is biblical (1 Cor. 5). Church oversight is biblical (Acts 20:28; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; 5:17). Submitting to your leaders is biblical, and so is making the care of church members a serious priority (Heb. 13:17)."

from review of Missional Renaissance

Other Back-logged Kendrick Videos

Kendrick falling asleep in the high chair


Kendrick hopping on pop


Kitchen Golf


Kendrick's future as a big brother


Kendrick and his Chuckle Buddy

Kendrick Doesn't Like Grass